Whether 48 hours is enough time to explore a city as multifaceted as Dublin depends entirely on how well you plan it and what those plans involve. With a meticulous itinerary focused on the city’s most luxurious activities, stays, and eats, 48 hours in Dublin is plenty of time. To show you how it's done, we have created a carefully crafted two-day luxury Dublin itinerary which includes everything from the city’s must-see sights to its most lavish experiences, and there are even a couple of Michelin-star restaurants thrown in there too. Choose between a selection of our favourite Dublin hotels too. All in all, this guide to 48 hours in Dublin for the luxury traveller will ensure every second in Ireland’s capital will be well-spent. At the end of the article, find out how to book a bespoke luxury trip to Dublin just like this one for yourself.

48 Hours in Dublin – Day One

Day 1 Highlights: 

• Go on a private city walking tour

• Skip the queues to Dublin Castle

• Grab lunch at Ireland’s oldest pub

• Join a whiskey expert for a whiskey-tasting

• Explore the Temple Bar neighbourhood

• Eat at a two Michelin-star restaurant

• Finish with cocktails at a high-end bar

Morning

Waste no time on your first day of 48 hours in Dublin with an early morning private city walking tour. Expected to take around three hours, a passionate local Dubliner will use the time wisely on a walking route that hits all of the city’s must-see sights including Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Temple Bar, and Christ Church Cathedral. Not only will the guide’s local knowledge provide an enriching historical and cultural context to Dublin, but it will also give you that essential sense of familiarity needed when visiting a new city. 

As a private tour, it can be curated to your preferences, so if you would prefer more time to see Trinity College overseeing something else, the guide will be fully accommodating. Alternatively, opt for a two-hour walking tour combined with a one-hour private tour of one of Dublin’s most time-worthy landmarks, Dublin Castle. Skip the queues and avoid the crowds as you swoon over the 13th-century motte and bailey castle’s splendid staterooms.

Afternoon

After a hearty lunch at the historic Brazen Head, Ireland’s oldest (and most charming) pub, you’re ready for a boozy afternoon of Irish whiskey tasting at the renowned Whiskey Reserve. Boasting Ireland’s largest whiskey collection, the store offers a full range of tastings organised by locality and flavour. Secure a tasting session with leading whiskey expert Derek King to get the most out of every drop. Leaving the tasting with a greater penchant for whiskey, it will be easy to choose a ‘souvenir’ from the store’s refined selection of rare whiskies.

With a whiskey-fueled fire in your belly, nothing will beat a refreshing walk around Temple Bar, Dublin’s most famous neighbourhood. The earlier walking tour will have provided all the in-the-know info needed to get better acquainted with its cool collection of art galleries, markets, and independent shops and bars like the famous Temple Bar. 

Evening

The way to a city’s heart is through its food scene which is why your first evening of 48 hours in Dublin should be spent at one of its six Michelin-star restaurants. Indulge in the best interpretation of local flavours Dublin has to offer at Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen. This two Michelin-star restaurant serves mouthwatering dishes like scallop tartare and caramelised limousin veal sweetbreads in a modern-classic restaurant adorned with a curated selection of Irish art. 

Full and happy, move on for a nightcap at Dublin’s sexiest bar, 9 Below. The worst thing about this sexy wood-panelled mid-century-inspired bar is the fact it makes you choose between a line-up of the world’s finest champagnes, wines, and whiskies, as well as a party of creatively concocted cocktails. The best thing about it is that no matter what you choose, satisfaction is guaranteed.

48 Hours in Dublin – Day Two

Day 2 Highlights:

• A private tour of Dublin’s top cultural institutions

• Afternoon tea in The Merrion Hotel Drawing Rooms

• Explore the grounds of Trinity College and see the Book of Kells

• Enter the Book of Kells immersive light and sound experience

• Eat a gourmet meal in a traditional Irish pub

• Complete 48 hours in Dublin with drinks in the city’s fanciest bars

Morning

Although Dublin’s cohort of luxury hotels may tempt you to stay in bed, there’s another exciting day of exploring ahead starting with a private three-hour tour of its must-see museums. The tour begins at the National Gallery of Ireland which beautifully executes rotating exhibitions of history and the modern day’s finest works. A short stroll amongst Dublin’s most regal buildings leads you to the gallery’s neighbour, the National Library of Ireland. 

As well as an unsurprisingly immense stack of Ireland’s most influential books, the library also features war, political, and theatre posters which offer a window into life in Dublin as far back as the 18th century. Saving the best ‘til last, the tour concludes at the National Museum of Ireland where you will no doubt be enchanted by a collection of ancient Irish treasures which, believe it or not, includes the bodies of Iron Age men.

Afternoon

Complement a morning of culture with an afternoon tea in the Drawing Rooms of the Merrion Hotel, Dublin’s most prestigious stay, or treat yourself to a second Michelin dining experience at the Merrion’s sophisticated Restaurant Patrick Gilbaud. Another Dublin foodie experience checked off the list, take the rest of the afternoon to meditatively thumb the pages of Ireland’s finest literary works at Trinity College Library. Whilst there, you’ll get to lay your eyes upon one of Christianity’s most valuable and beautiful scriptures, the intricately illustrated Book of Kells. 

If time is on your side, deep-dive into the scripture at the Book of Kells Experience, an immersive light and sound journey that shares stories about the book and the library. Expect to see a 3D illuminated Nasa image of the Earth’s surface floating in the Old Library, learn about the symbolism of the book’s illustrations, and go on a 360-degree journey through the book’s history.

Evening

Honour your stay in Dublin with dinner at a typical Irish pub, or so it would have you believe. From the outside in, Spitalfields looks like a typical unassuming Irish pub with traditional black and gold signage and a wood-panelled bar stacked with whiskey. Yet, with dishes like Cote de Boeuf and Beef Cheek & Ox Tail Parker House Roll with Bone Marrow Gravy on the menu, it’s clear Spitalfields isn’t your average Irish pub. No wonder it has a Bib Gourmand status. Chase your gourmet meal with gourmet drinks at Peruke & Periwig, a restaurant and cocktail bar that’s so regal it could be mistaken for a Dublin Castle stateroom. For something more modern, opt for the glamorous Farrier & Draper, a colour-popped bar with an equally colourful drinks menu. Wherever you spend your last few hours, don’t forget to toast a successful 48 hours in Dublin!

Where to Stay for 48 Hours in Dublin

The Merrion Hotel Dublin 

Seated proudly in one of the most enviable neighbourhoods of central Dublin, the five-star Merrion Hotel welcomes guests into its Georgian palace with divine traditional interiors and impeccable service. With high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, the hotel’s delicate pastel spaces are refreshingly light and airy. While the hotel spa is one of the best in Dublin, it’s the bars and restaurants that make The Merrion world-renowned. Afternoon tea in the blossoming gardens, cocktails beneath the vaults of the Cellar Bar, and two Michelin-star dining at Restaurant Patrick Gilbaud are all on the menu at The Merrion.

Start Planning your Luxury Trip to Dublin, Ireland

Whether you want a short weekend trip to Dublin or want to include it on an exciting tour of Ireland, this 48 hours in Dublin for the luxury traveller itinerary is perfect. Secure it for yourself by speaking to one of Lore Luxury Travel’s expert UK & Ireland travel planners. As a bespoke travel agency, we can mold this itinerary to your specific needs and preferences. We are happy to swap any of the activities, restaurants, or hotels to make it your unique dream trip to Dublin. Get in touch by calling us toll-free at 1 (800) 707-5184/ direct in the UK +44 (0) 2045 781 580 or email us here.